My Artist Statement:
‘Tglad’s Formula” – Terence Craig
Tglad is the father of the ‘Mandelbox’, an exciting 3D formula-based object which eluded mathematicians and computer scientists for 30 years.
I create video that explores scale and texture. I have been inspired by the Mandelbox. This is also my first experience-based video installation and the first work I’ve produced which crosses from the computer into the physical world, in the form of an accompanying sculpture.
The Mandelbox is based on a 3D fractal formula. In simple terms, a fractal is a recursive (self referencing) mathematical equation that produces shapes, built by parts that are similar with itself at an infinite scale. Tom Lowe (Tglad) discovered this particular fractal formula in 2010. The name Mandelbox is derived from the name of the man who developed the 2D formulas in 1979, Benoît Mandelbrot.
By changing the numbers that the formula needs, you can produce your own forms. The aim for my work entitled, ‘Tglad’s Formula”, was to investigate this area of fractal geometry and find a form that is both visually interesting to experience as a fly-thru and is also capable of being realised in physical form using 3D printing. Unfortunately, these two concepts are mutually exclusive. The more interesting Mandelbox forms are far from solid, yet to produce something physical using 3D printing techniques, it needs to be in one piece.
Due to its complex nature, theoretically, the Mandelbox cannot be realised in physical form. Balancing and compromising on form and fly-through requirements has been difficult but rewarding. The five screens produce an immersive experience and the physical objects reinforce the scale, complexity and beauty of such fractal-based forms.
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